The report provides key recommendations on the inclusion and the separate consideration of the needs of bisexual people in policy and practice, drawing on national and international research evidence and expertise to support these recommendations.

The key finding is that of all the larger sexual identity groups, bisexual people have the worst mental health problems including higher rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide. This has been found in the UK and internationally, and is linked to experiences of biphobia and bisexual invisibility.

Biphobia is distinct from homophobia. Attitudes towards bisexual people are more negative than those towards other minority groups, with them often being stereotyped as promiscuous, untrustworthy, or greedy. Bisexual people face such prejudice from both heterosexual and lesbian and gay communities. Bisexual invisibility relates to the fact that bisexual people are generally not represented in mainstream media, policy, legislation or within lesbian and gay communities. Also, it is important to be aware that bisexual experience differs according to intersections with other aspects of identity (age, gender, race, geographical location, etc.)

There are many positive aspects to bisexual peoples’ experiences – the ability to develop identities and relationships without restrictions, linked to a sense of independence, self-awareness and authenticity. Bisexual people speak of their acceptance and appreciation of others’ differences and feel well-placed to notice and challenge social biases and assumptions beyond sexuality.

We are disseminating the report in many ways, including our BiUK website which is regularly updated. We meet Government Equalities Office regularly to identify practical changes which can be put in place. We also work closely with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organisations, the NHS, therapy organisations and other relevant groups.

The report is published by The Open UniversityCentre for Citizenship, Identities and Governance and endorsed by Stonewall, the Metro Centre, the Lesbian and Gay Foundation the Psychology of Sexualities section of the British Psychological Society, Pink Therapy, the College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists, and Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

In writing the report we were hugely influenced by the wonderful San Francisco Human Rights Commission report on Bisexual Invisibility.